Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe

4.56 from 27 reviews

Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe

Buttery oatmeal crust is layered with sweet-tart rhubarb filling and topped with chunky brown sugar topping. When rhubarb is in season, this is the perfect treat that is easy to make and very tasty.

Prep Time30

Bake Time35

Total Time1 5

Servings:24 bars

Ingredients

For the Filling

24 oz rhubarb
6 oz sugar (¾ cup)
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the dough

10 oz all purpose flour (2 cups, see note)
6 ½ oz old fashioned rolled oats (2 cups)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
8 oz brown sugar (1 cup)
4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz unsalted butter (sliced)

Instructions

Make the filling

Slice the rhubarb into ½" thick slices and toss with 6 oz sugar and ¼ teaspoon table salt in a large saucepan. Cover the pan and set the rhubarb aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to macerate.
Cook the rhubarb over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until most of the rhubarb is tender and it's beginning to thicken. You'll have about 3 cups of rhubarb filling.
Transfer to rhubarb to a bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and cool to room temperature.

Make the Dough

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Generously butter a 13" x 9" pan. Line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal of the bars (optional).
Combine 10 oz all purpose flour, 6 ½ oz old fashioned rolled oats, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 8 oz brown sugar, 4 oz granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients.
Toss in 12 oz unsalted butter and mix with your fingers until the butter bits are no larger than a pea and the dough clumps together when squeezed.
Reserve 1/3 of the dough for the topping. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 of the dough into the pan and and press into an even layer. Bake 10 minutes until set and just beginning to brown.
Spread the rhubarb filling over the crust and crumble the remaining dough over the filling. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes
Cool completely and cut into bars.

Video

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

The butter should be slightly cool, but a little pliable. If the butter is very cold it will be more difficult to cut it into the dry ingredients. If the butter is very soft, it will completely mix in and you won't get nice large clumps of crumbs.

This recipe can be halved and baked in a 9"x9" square pan.

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